"Judith Moffett - The Bird Shaman's Girl" - читать интересную книгу автора (Moffett Judith)

descendantsтАФitтАЩs their Homeland, see?тАЭ

The soggy lumps were disappearing fast. Pesky hopped onto LexiтАЩs
knee, and Lexi, delighted, fed him a lump herself. She didnтАЩt push it far
enough down his throat, but he threw his head back and managed to
swallow it anyway. тАЬGood!тАЭ said Pam. тАЬTry to stick it a little farther in, like
this.тАЭ

тАЬI wish they didnтАЩt change it. I know Humphrey said the old way didnтАЩt
get enough converts. But I liked it better.тАЭ

Stuffed, the robins withdrew. Pam snapped the lid back on the kibble
soaker, a margarine tub from Landfill Plastics, and smiled at Lexi. тАЬTell you
the truth, I did too, but Humphrey and the missionaries think more people
can relate to what the Gaians are saying if we do it like this, through family
ties to land thatтАЩs been lived into for a long time, so the land and the people
really belong to each other. Like, you know ... getting together at Christmas
with all your relatives at the old home place, the special feeling you get from
that.тАЭ Seeing the child frown, Pam wondered what feelings she had just
conjured up, and added hastily, тАЬBut anybody who wants to can still go the
old way and choose a personal Ground. WeтАЩre trying to bring more people
in, not push anybody out.тАЭ

Lexi looked relieved. тАЬWhat are you gonna do, keep on with your
Ground in Kentucky?тАЭ

тАЬActually, in my case Homeland wonтАЩt make that much difference,тАЭ
Pam said. тАЬI was a grounded Gaian steward long before we decided to
change our approach. But it can be good to go at things from more than
one direction.тАЭ She grabbed the tub of kibble, stood, and smiled down at
Lexi, sitting on the step still looking worried. тАЬSo what about your dinner, are
you hungry yet?тАЭ

Lexi got up slowly. тАЬIt wonтАЩt make any difference in my case either,
the Homeland thing wonтАЩt. IтАЩm sticking with The Secret Garden. Like when
Mary Lennox says тАШMight I have a bit of earth?тАЩтАФlike that.тАЭ

She spoke the line, in MaryтАЩs British accent, with a wistful hopefulness
so utterly convincing that Pam shivered. She put her hand on LexiтАЩs
shoulder and squeezed. тАЬYou be GaiaтАЩs actor, kiddo. Anything else would
be a shameful waste of talent.тАЭ

****

When they broke for lunch on the first day of the conference, Pam
went back to her room and checked her messages: a brief one from her
deputy, Jaime Rivera, that boiled down to тАЬEverythingтАЩs under controlтАЭ; an
even briefer one from Lexi in a tattered sun bonnet, evidently sent on a
break between scenes: тАЬHi, sorry to bother you on your trip but could you
please call me right away?тАЭ